Switchable
B34 discusses switchability under 'Turning Advantages On and Off. B63 lists it as a +10% enhancement for Invisibility, while it is a +100% enhancement for Mana Damper (B67) Mana Enhancer (B68) Psi-Static (B78) Bio-Tech :Switchable is unnecessary if an advantage was limited with Costs Fatigue (p. B111), Emergencies Only (p. B112), Limited Use (p. B112), or Trigger (p. B115); such abilities are effectively switchable by default. Powers GURPS Powers: *pg 81 covers Switchable Body Parts **Jason Levine clarifies in https://web.archive.org/web/20180122220021/http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=63086&page=2 this makes them go away completely *pg 109 lists it as an enhancement. *pg 153 lists 2 required criteria which define a switchable attribute. #The first is a list of 2 either/or criteria ##"it’s possible to switch the advantage on and off with a free action or a maneuver" (absent Always On) ##has Switchable or Usually On #The second is a list of 3 options: ##effects which last until user turns off ##effects which last until concentration stops ##effects which last until FP payment stops (unclear if it applies to HP too) Power-Ups 4 page 17 lists it as a +10% enhancement for non-switchable advantages. Quotes Kromm http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=289977&postcount=2 references Powers 154 in 2006 :The only switchable abilities activated or deactivated with a free action are Mind Shield, attacks with Aura, and switchable advantages that work instantaneously thanks to Reduced Time. The user must switch these on or off at the start of his turn. http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?p=1160048 in 2011: :As has been explained often: Switchable is only needed if you lack modifiers that limit duration anyway. If you have Costs Fatigue, Limited Use, Maximum Duration, Takes Recharge, Trigger, etc., then you get the "use" specified by that modifier (usually a minute, except for Maximum Duration) and then the ability switches off. The values of these sorts of modifiers would be -10% more severe if this weren't assumed. http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=1397186&postcount=64 in 2012 :Certain limitations restrict length of usage, in effect establishing "uses." Some of these come in denominations as trivial as -5% or -10%. Examples include Costs Fatigue (-5%), Costs Hit Points (-10%), Limited Use (-10%), Maximum Duration (-5%), and Trigger (-10%). In such cases, adding Switchable, +10% would result in a 0% or even a +5% modifier, meaning there would be no cost savings and possibly a cost premium for a less-useful ability, which would clearly be unfair. Thus, all abilities with such modifiers are already switchable by dint of paying FP or HP, initiating a use, expending a trigger substance, etc. If they weren't, then not only would the cost be unfair, but also they would sit around, sucking up uses, FP, or whatever, because they couldn't switch off . . . a massive limitation, not a -5% to -10% one! :The only error is that Maximum Duration shouldn't bother with "switchable." That text made it in from the Third Edition source, and isn't correct. :Also, one legalistic note for the lawyers: Debating whether PK and/or myself are correct or in error in our forums posts, and proposing to submit errata to resolve the issue if you disagree with us here, misconstrues the errata process. Our clarifications in these forums are de facto real-time errata responses, and canon. When stuff arrives via the errata form, we make exactly the same rulings, typically linking or pasting our forums responses for the errata coordinator to adapt, to save time. Thus, if you get an answer here, you have the final, official answer. There's no higher court – just a much slower one. See also *Active abilities Category:Enhancements